MATTHEW HAYDEN

When I came to the high-performance arena, I was kind of a one-off in a lot of ways. I was as much an iron man as much as I was a cricketer. Having surfed, fished, hunted, that was just a natural thing.

You never want an Australian with his back against the wall. You put any 12 blokes together and you'll get a job done. Whether it's getting a bogged four-wheel-drive off the beach or standing in front of a cricket wicket and making sure we're in a dominant position. It's the same dog, different leg action, so to speak.

One of the things that I miss the most about cricket and batting in particular is that meditation of cricket, that involvement of myself - mind, body and spirit - to delivering that one specific process, which is to execute a cricket shot. It is a beautiful feeling; it is very hard to replicate.

It's a fun day, a day which kicks off the start of our tour, it's got great tradition - Australian cricketers just love tradition - and it's been a really pleasant day.

How does Usain Bolt know you? You're just my soccer coach.

This game is something Australians really look forward to.

I've seen God. He bats at No. 4 for India in tests

All this going around is not aggression. If you want to see aggression on cricket field, look into Rahul Dravid’s eyes

One-day cricket is a very important part of our play. We've got a long way to go until the next World Cup and for us it's one ruthless game after another where we can play well.

Everything this series is being built up to be - I think it's going to live up to those expectations.

It's a very special venue and a very special occasion.

This game is something Australians really look forward to.

Both sides have been playing tremendous cricket over a couple of years and they're both very good units.

One-day cricket is a very important part of our play. We've got a long way to go until the next World Cup and for us it's one ruthless game after another where we can play well.

Everything this series is being built up to be - I think it's going to live up to those expectations.

It's a fun day, a day which kicks off the start of our tour, it's got great tradition - Australian cricketers just love tradition - and it's been a really pleasant day.

My brother Gary, who was my coach, five years my elder, studied human movements at Queensland University in Brisbane. We used to train together every day, and we'd train for so long that at the end of a session, we would physically almost collapse.

One of the things that I miss the most about cricket and batting in particular is that meditation of cricket, that involvement of myself - mind, body and spirit - to delivering that one specific process, which is to execute a cricket shot. It is a beautiful feeling; it is very hard to replicate.

When I came to the high-performance arena, I was kind of a one-off in a lot of ways. I was as much an iron man as much as I was a cricketer. Having surfed, fished, hunted, that was just a natural thing.

As a civilian not playing sport, to get that sense of real belonging and feeling how you are progressing through the day is what I loved and miss.

How does Usain Bolt know you? You're just my soccer coach.

I've seen God. He bats at No. 4 for India in tests

You never want an Australian with his back against the wall. You put any 12 blokes together and you'll get a job done. Whether it's getting a bogged four-wheel-drive off the beach or standing in front of a cricket wicket and making sure we're in a dominant position. It's the same dog, different leg action, so to speak.

All this going around is not aggression. If you want to see aggression on cricket field, look into Rahul Dravid’s eyes